Shreyas Iyer might not have got a hundred or a Player of Match award but deserves a lot of credit for Virat Kohli’s success in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, according to former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. While Virat Kohli is topping the run-getter’s charts among the Indians with 217 runs from four games, Shreyas Iyer is marginally behind with 195 runs from the same number of games.
The Mumbai batter has been India’s best no.4 batter in the last few years, thus solving one of the most difficult puzzles in the batting line-up. From ODI World Cup in 2023 to Champions Trophy 2025, there’s hardly any game, that Shreyas Iyer has not been able to impress.
Showering praise on the right-hander, Ravichandran Ashwin explained how Shreyas Iyer is laying the platform for Virat Kohli and also stated that he could be India’s gamechanger in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand.
“For me, the game-changer will be Shreyas Iyer. It is because of his recent form,” Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket last year, aid on his Hindi YouTube channel “Ash Ki Baat.”
“This guy has had an excellent 2023 World Cup. He has batted well against New Zealand. He has played well at the Wankhede in Mumbai. And once again, in this tournament, he has looked crackerjack,” added Ravichandran Ashwin, who finished with 530-plus wickets in Tests.
What makes’s Iyer special for Kohli?
There has been several instances in the ongoing Champions Trophy where Shreyas Iyer rescued India in the middle overs. He first stitched a 114-run stand with Virat Kohli against Pakistan. Against New Zealand, India were three down for 30 before Shreyas Iyer match-turning stand of 98 runs with Axar Patel.
In the semifinal against Australia, the right-hander was once again in action with a 91-run stand with Virat Kohli to steer the Men in Blue out of trouble. “The way he plays, it helps Virat Kohli,” added Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Virat Kohli is able to play the way he is playing because Shreyas Iyer is playing this way against spin. When there is a partnership between Virat and Shreyas, the captains can’t enforce a spin choke. Shreyas is removing all the pressure from Virat. And for Virat’s success, Shreyas Iyer has played a part in it. And for Shreyas’s success, Virat has a part in it. Because this is what people call playing in partnerships.”
